Elderly Care and Dementia

Dementia Research

Only through research can we find new and better ways to prevent, treat and care for patients with Dementia.

Join Dementia Reasearch is a service that makes it easy for anyone to take part in research studies. People with dementia or memory problems, their carers or anyone who is interested can sign up.

Citizens Advice Dunstable

Citizens Advice Dunstable and District is partnered with Chiltern Hills Primary Care Network (which includes West Street Surgery) to provide the social prescribing service as a way to connect the more vulnerable members of society with the help they truly need, be it advice or help with socialising.

Dunstable Citizens Advice has been offering free, confidential advice for more than 80 years. They provide a wide variety of services, spanning subjects such as benefits, consumer, debt, discrimination, family, financial, employment, housing, immigration, law and courts, power of attorney, lonliness and socialisation. You can of course refer yourself or alternatively speak to one of our Care Coordinators or our Health and Well Being Coach, who will support you with a referral and point you towards other organisations that could also help.

Telephone: 01582 670003

Website: www.dunstablecab.org.uk

Email: www.dunstablecab.org.uk/get-advice/email-us/

Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service

Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service’s Home Fire Safety visits help protect communities by providing safety advice to those most at risk. Each visit includes fire safety advice and additional guidance on health, wellbeing and crime prevention.

If hazards or risks are identified during the Home Fire Safety visit, the Service can make a referral to appropriate partner agencies for further help and support. You can book a home visit via their website.

Telephone: 01234 845000

Website: www.bedsfire.gov.uk

Email: contact@bedsfire.gov.uk

Care Choices

Information about finding care and support for adults and elderly relatives.

Telephone: 0800 389 2077

Website: www.carechoices.co.uk

Dunstable Town Walking Football

Dunstable Town FC is a Community Benefit Society (CBS). They have been running walking football for over two years. The best way to describe what they do is, meet new friends, have a laugh, keep fit and oh occasionally kick a football.

Wednesday (fortnightly) at Creasey Park ATP 1 – 11:00-12:00

Every Friday at Creasey Park ATP 2 – 19:00 – 20:00 (more competitive)

Website: www.thewfa.co.uk/directory/dunstable-town-fc-walking-football

Email: walkingfootball.dunstabletownfc@gmail.com

Or: ian.bateman@virginmedia.com

Dementia UK

Dementia UK is a specialist dementia nursing charity for the whole family, working towards a day when no one has to face dementia alone. Their specialist nurses provide life-changing advice and support, to anyone affected by dementia, whenever it is needed.

Telephone: 0800 888 6678

Website: www.dementiauk.org

Email: helpline@dementiauk.org

Houghton Regis Singing Cafe

The Houghton Regis Singing Café is a weekly singing group focussed on the wellbeing of older adults who are isolated and those who have a diagnosis of early-mid stages of dementia. Participants are referred into the group by Social Prescribing Link Workers, so please contact the surgery and ask for a care co-ordinator or health and wellbeing coach appointment.

Website: www.chilternmusictherapy.co.uk/insights-researchs/houghton-regis-singing-cafe

John’s Campaign

John’s Campaign for the right to stay with people with dementia and for the right of people with dementia to be supported by their family carers.

It applies to all hospital settings and over 1500 institutions have pledged their support including the Luton and Dunstable University Hospital. It is a national campaign that highlights the need for patients with dementia to have someone by their side to advocate in hospital. It allows carers to feel welcome and stay with their beloved one for as long as they wish.

Telephone: 01245 231898

Website: www.johnscampaign.org.uk

Email: julia@johnscampaign.org.uk

Young @ Heart Cafe

Providing support, signposting and song for people with memory difficulties and their carers in the Luton and Dunstable. You can join in every Wednesday afternoon 2pm-4pm at St John’s The Apostle, Sundon Park Rd, Luton LU3 3AL

Telephone: 01582 742275

Website: www.young-at-heart-cafe.org

Email: sing@young-at-heart-cafe.org

Age UK Bedfordshire

Age UK is the country’s largest charity dedicated to helping everyone make the most of later life. They believe in a world where everyone can love later life and they work every day to achieve this.

Telephone: 01234 360510

Website: www.ageuk.org.uk/bedfordshire

Email: enquiries@ageukbedfordshire.org.uk

Alzheimer's Society

The Alzheimer’s Society offers counselling, support, and education for people with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias’ and their families. On the website, enter your postcode for more detailed information about dementia services and support groups in your area.

Telephone: 0333 150 3456 (Dementia support line)

Website: www.alzheimers.org.uk

Local support: www.alzheimers.org.uk/find-support-near-you

Email: www.alzheimers.org.uk/form/contact-us-general-enquiries

Bedfordshire Memory Navigation Service

The Memory Navigation Service has been delivered by the Carers in Bedfordshire’s team of staff and volunteers since 2016. Their role is to navigate those affected by dementia or memory loss to the right information, services or support that is needed.

Telephone: 0300 111 9090

Website: www.memoryinbeds.org.uk

Email: contact@carersinbeds.org.uk

Cinnamon Trust

Cinnamon Trust is a National Charity for elderly and terminally ill people and their pets, where the owner needs help walking their dog.

Telephone: 01736 757 900

Website: www.cinnamon.org.uk

Email: volunteer@cinnamon.org.uk

Dementia Roadmap

The Bedfordshire Dementia Roadmap provides high quality information about the dementia journey alongside local information about services, support groups and care pathways to assist primary care to support people with dementia and cognitive impairment, their families and carers.

Website: www.dementiaroadmap.info

Food First

The Food First Team are passionate about using food-based approaches to managing malnutrition and work with a range of Health and Social care staff to improve people’s access to safe and evidence based nutrition and hydration care. This includes working with primary care (e.g. GPs) to support the appropriate prescribing of nutritional products. They also provide an enhanced service to care homes for older people which includes a training and accreditation programme.

Telephone: 0333 4053156

Website: www.cambscommunityservices.nhs.uk/bedfordshire/nutrition/food-first

Email: food.first@nhs.net

Herbert Protocol

The Herbert Protocol is a national scheme; a partnership with the Alzheimer’s Society, Fire and Rescue and Community Policing, designed to help locate people with dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and memory problems if they go missing. Referrals can be made by anyone (including the individual) via phone or email.

Telephone: 101

Website: www.beds.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/missing-person/missing-persons/vulnerable-people-at-risk-of-going-missing

Email: dementia@bedfordshire.pnn.police.uk 

Tibbs Dementia Foundation

Tibbs Dementia Foundation offer a wealth of information and support to people with dementia and their carers. Newsletters, face to face activities, online group activities, singing groups and creative art packs are just some of what they offer. Community partnerships and projects are at the heart of their work, as they continuously strive for a dementia friendly community in the local area.

The Dunstable Activity Group is a weekly social group for people with dementia and their family supporter to enjoy a relaxing afternoon together. Participate in a choice of stimulating activities in a supported, welcoming environment – including games & quizzes, art & craft, reminiscence and a good chat over a cuppa! The group meets at St Augustine’s Church.  Contact Tibbs directly for further information.

Telephone: 01234 210993 / 07483 951737

Email: contact@tibbsdementia.co.uk

Website: www.tibbsdementia.co.uk

Tibbs Central Bedfordshire Timetable: www.tibbsdementia.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/timetable-central-beds-2022.pdf

Silver Line

Free phone support for older people, 24 hours a day.

Telephone: 0800 470 8090

Website: www.thesilverline.org.uk